The present invention relates to broadband communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to digital subscriber line (DSL) communication systems.
Data communications is becoming increasingly prominent in business and homes. In particular, data communication needs via the Internet are increasing. For many years, Internet access occurred via telephone lines and analog modems. Analog modems can presently provide data communications at a maximum speed of 56 kbps (kilobits per second). Unfortunately, as the Internet becomes populated with graphics, video, sound, and other large-size data, Internet access via analog modems is insufficient to adequately meet user demand.
Fortunately, for users requiring greater modem speeds, faster data communications systems exist. For example, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) provides speeds up to 128 kbps. DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) modems can provide data transfer at speeds of 1.5-8 Mbps (megabits per second).
As Internet use becomes commonplace and computer equipment prices have dramatically declined, a user may have more than one computing device or peripheral requiring Internet access in a given environment. Alternatively, the user may wish to have mobility within a given environment as he/she accesses the Internet. Such usage requirements give rise to a local area network (LAN) and/or a wireless local area network.
Accordingly, in order to provide a distributed network access to the Internet using DSL technology, functionalities for accessing the Internet via a telephone line, routing or bridging data to and from the telephone line and network, and interfacing with the network are required. Typically, such functionalities are provided by two or more discrete devices. Especially for wireless LANs, discrete devices aid in preventing signal interference and performance degradation.
As DSL usage becomes more popular, integrated DSL devices would be beneficial. Among others, integration would ease installation and device compatibility issues. Moreover, integration may provide cost savings for DSL consumers. To preserve the benefits of wireless LAN service, integrated DSL devices would benefit from reduction or elimination of signal interference between subcomponents while still providing data transfer speeds and uniform wireless coverage within the designated geographical area.